New CSU boss faces huge challenges

By Inside Higher Ed

– October 5, 2012

Inside Higher Ed — Timothy P. White will take over as chancellor of the California State University system at the end of the year. But he’ll have a better idea of how hard his new job will be next month, when California voters consider a proposed tax hike.

If the measure fails, the system will absorb $250 million in new budget cuts, meaning it will have lost $1.2 billion (or 39 percent) of its annual state funding over five years. Under that scenario White would have to confront a range of unpleasant decisions, according to system officials, including further tuition hikes, more cuts in administrative costs and negotiations with union leaders over health care benefits.